With the fashion set invading Tokyo for Christian Dior’s pre-fall 2015 show today, it’s the perfect time to explore the very best that Japan’s ultra-modern megalopolis has to offer. Here are our favorite things in the city, from the finest shot of espresso in Shimokitazawa to the charming Buddhist temples and izakayas of Asakusa.
Photo: Courtesy of Jo Abi-Younes / @joabi5111/12Shopping in Harajuku and Aoyama
Tokyo’s residents are known for their avant-garde street style. Japanese fashion extraordinaire Rei Kawakubo has her eminent Comme des Garçons flagship store in Aoyama, while neighboring Harajuku is home to several contemporary Tokyo staples. Sundays there bring out the cosplay diehards—teenagers who stand around Harajuku Station to show off their eccentric looks.
Photo: Courtesy of Bobby Sangalang / @bobbysangalang2/12Tempura Tsunahachi
In the two-storied wooden premises of Tsunahachi, you can get some of Tokyo’s best tempura. Tsunahachi opened its Shinjuku location in 1964, and not much about it has changed since—same charming storefront and a menu of seasonal produce and catch. While you can sit at tables on a tatami mat floor, counter-seating is recommended. Rub shoulders with office workers on their lunch break and food cognoscenti alike, as you watch the chef place sizzling tempura from the deep fryer directly onto your plate.
Photo: Courtesy of Sophia Grace / @sophiagrace3/12Ghibli Museum
Any fan of Japanese cinema darling Hayao Miyazaki should take a trip to quiet and unassuming Mitaka, a western suburb of Tokyo, where Miyazaki’s Studio Ghibli has its very own museum. A friendly Totoro greets visitors at the ticket booth; inside, visitors can explore the exhibits, eat tasty pastries and cakes at the Straw Hat Café, and revel in the magic of Miyazaki’s films.
Photo: Courtesy of Openers / @openersjapan4/12Park Hyatt Tokyo
Despite its Lost in Translation fame, the Park Hyatt Tokyo remains a tranquil oasis within an office skyscraper in a secluded section of Shinjuku. Designed by Pritzker Prize–winning architect Kenzo Tange and interior designer John Morford, the hotel juxtaposes brawny 2,000-year-old Hokkaido water elm panels with a lissome indoor bamboo garden. Head up to the 52nd floor to the New York Bar, where Bill Murray sipped on Hibiki, and try some of Japan’s finest whisky while taking in views of both the skyline and Mount Fuji.
Photo: Courtesy of Christiane Pagsisihan / @iampagc5/12Bear Pond Espresso
Who would have guessed that Japan had such a reverence for coffee? Bear Pond Espresso, located in the undeniably hip Shimokitazawa, is truly a mecca for any coffee devotee. Their espresso is sought-after and lionized, as is their famous “Dirty”—a shot of espresso on top of cold milk, topped off with a second shot of espresso, served in a charming little Mason jar.
Photo: Courtesy of @redtank20136/12Mori Art Museum and Tokyo City View
Tokyo natives descend on Roppongi Hills to indulge in fine dining and luxury shopping. Central to the complex is Mori Tower, home to the Mori Art Museum where Taiwanese multimedia artist Lee Mingwei is currently exhibiting a retrospective of his work. After visiting the museum, take the elevator to the Tokyo City View on the 52nd floor, where a dramatic 360-degree view of the city will leave you breathless.
Photo: Courtesy of Sean Nakamsura / @seannakamsura7/12The Society
Located inside the Park Hotel in Shiodome, The Society is not the most famous hotel bar in the city, but few are as refined. There are a hundred or so cocktails on the menu, but many visitors opt for the bartender’s choice, and rightly so. Takayuki Suzuki, author of The Perfect Martini, and his staff will concoct a drink to match your taste preferences or mood. Cocktails are served around a U-shaped marble bar overlooking Tokyo’s growing media district.
Photo: Courtesy of Kenneth Hideki / @kenhideki_8/12Meiji Jingu
Take a break from the towering skyscrapers and go on a quick jaunt around the corner from Harajuku’s kawaii Takeshita Street to Meiji Jingu, a stunning Shinto shrine completely surrounded by lush natural forests. Pass through the immense torii gate at the entrance of the shrine and stroll through what might be the most tranquil section of Tokyo. On sunny afternoons, you may even catch a glimpse of a traditional Shinto wedding.
Photo: Courtesy of Hiroki Sekiguchi / @life_noregret9/12Trump Room
Decked with gilded looking glasses, chandeliers, taxidermy, and velvet settees, this hidden nightclub is a cross between a French salon and Mardi Gras. A favorite of Tokyo’s creative set, the Trump Room is where you can take in the coolest local DJs and some of the most outlandish style to be found in the city.
Photo: Courtesy of Danielle Boelling / @daniboelling10/12Asakusa
Asakusa is the center of Tokyo’s historic downtown, and the Buddhist temple Senso-ji its main attraction. The street leading from the vermilion-lacquered Kaminarimon (Thunder Gate) to the temple grounds is lined with stalls selling ningyo-yaki (red bean paste–filled cakes) and traditional souvenirs like wooden kokeshi dolls. Walk over to Asahi Beer Hall, a Philippe Starck–designed, beer mug–shaped building noted for the Asahi flame, a golden object d’art inspired by the beer’s froth.
Photo: Courtesy of Judy Shi / @bubu_911/12Daikanyama T-Site
Tsutaya began as a book, music, and movie shop for young adults just over three decades ago. With their first customers now in their 50s and 60s, Tsutaya has launched a new concept store for their grown-up clients: Daikanyama T-Site. Klein Dytham Architecture, Kenya Hara, and Tomoko Ikegai joined forces to create a “Library in the Woods”—a triptych of buildings with various literary sections branching out from the connecting “Magazine Street” trunk. There you’ll find the latest bestsellers, as well as an impressive collectsion of rare and vintage books and magazines.
Photo: Courtesy of Mostafa Kandil / @mostafa.kandil12/12Tsukiji Market
No visit to Tokyo is fulfilled without a trip to the mythical Tsukiji Market, the world’s largest wholesale fish market and the ultimate destination for sushi lovers. True enthusiasts know to go at dawn, when weary-eyed fishermen hold auctions for tuna the size of surfboards. After the auctions, head towards the legendary, pint-sized Daiwa Sushi to dine on freshly caught maguro and hamachi.
